A POLICEMAN who risked his life to prevent a man committing suicide on the railway line has been awarded one of the country’s top life-saving honours.

The man had been released from a psychiatric hospital and was standing in front of an oncoming train making a mobile call to his mum to say goodbye.

British Transport policeman Geoffrey Robinson, based at Chester Railway Station, said: “I was waiting near the far end of platform one at Flint Railway Station when I noticed in the distance my train approaching from the direction of Prestatyn, I was also aware another train was heading in our direction on the “down” line.

“I saw a man in the distance climbing over the fence. He stood facing the train and had his right hand pressed against his ear holding what I believed was a mobile and his left hand was pointing towards the sky. The trains horns were sounded and I ran towards him, shouted ‘police’.

“I heard the train breaking and the man made off alongside the still moving train. I continued chasing after him and eventually stopped him.

“I was in plain clothes and asked for assistance. Fortunately he was calm and gave me his name.

“I escorted him off the lines and asked what he was doing and he said he wanted to die and had been phoning his mum at the time to say goodbye.”

Geoffrey is to receive a Royal Humane Society Testimonial on Parchment from the Royal Humane Society .

The society’s secretary, Dick Wilkinson, said: “But for the brave actions of this alert officer this incident could very easily have ended tragically.

“He saved a life, spared a train driver a traumatic experience, and thoroughly deserves this award.”